Bearing



July 19, 1938. u. A. 'WIHITAKER' 2,124,479

BEARING F iled Aug. 21, 1935 INVENTOR Fly 4 071m A.W/2ilaker ATTORNEYPatented July 19, 1938 I UNITED STATES 2,124,479 BEAniNG' Uncas' A.Whitaker, Canton,'0hio, asslgnor to The. Hoover Company, North Canton,Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application August 21, 1935, Serial No. 37,163 t 11Claims. (Cl. soc-36.1)

The present invention relates to bearings in general and particularly tobearings for use in small electrical motors. More specifically theinvention comprises a bearing unit including an oilcirculating system.

It is an object of the invention to provide a new and improved bearingconstruction. Another object of the invention is to provide an improvedbearing unit including a sleeve bushing, 10 oil-retaining means andmounting means. A

still further object of the invention is the provision of a unitarybearing construction in which a porous sleeve bearing is mountedinoil-retaining means, the entire unit being housed in an 15 assemblyadapted for mounting on a suitable support. Still another object is theprovision of a new and improved combination bearing construction inwhich escaped oil from the bearing is returned by centrifugal force tothe bearing lubricating means. These and other more specific'objectswill appear upon reading the following specification and claims and uponconsideratlon in connection therewith of the at-' tached drawing towhich they relate. H Referring now to the drawing in which a pre-.ferred embodiment of thepresent invention is disclosed:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an electrical motor with certain partsbroken away and showing a bearing constructed in accordance with thepresent invention embodied therein;

Figure 2 is an enlarged section through the bearing unit similar to theshowing in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view of an element of the bearing 35 comprising a metallicforaminous plate which supports the lower end of the sleeve bushlng'anddivides the oil retaining means;

, Figurel is a view in perspective of the collar which is carried by thesupported shaft and 40 which collects escaped lubricating oil andreturns it by centrifugal force to the'surrounding lubricating-carryingmeans.

The bearing construction in accordance with the present invention isparticularly adapted for 45 electrical motors as illustrated in thedrawing. The motor is seen to comprise an outer casing I within which ispositioned a motor frame 2. The motor armature 3, including a commutator4 and rotating shaft 5, is rotatably mounted in a lower bearing,indicated generally by the reference character 6, and an upper bearingindicated generally by the reference character 1. Commutator' brushes 8,8 are carried by the frame 2 and cooperate with the commutator 4 65 inthe common and well known manner. The

present invention relates specifically to the upper bearings 'i and theelements which cooperate therewith.

' The bearing I, which is shown in enlarged section in Figure 2, is seento comprise a casing formed of an upper flanged cup Band a lower flangedcup iii. The flange of cup is peened over theperiphera-l edge of theflange of cup 9 to secure the two cups in the position illustrated.

A foraminous plate ll, preferably of metal, is 10 positioned betweenthe'cups 9 and Ill with-its outer margin clamped between the flanges ofthose cups. Plate ll divides the housing into two parts, an upper and alower, which are connected by apertures l2, l2, etc. Plate H is alsoformed with a central large opening IS, the boundary of which is slopeddownwardly as clearly illustrated in Figure 2.

The sleevebearing proper, which is indicated by the reference characterI, is positioned between the plate ii and a raised seat or recess l5 inthe topo! cup 9. The ends of bearing ll are rounded to conform to theinner walls of seat l5 and opening l3, but engagement of a cooperatingshoulder IS in thecup i5 and a 5 recess IT in the bearing itselfprevents relative rotation. The bearing is of the sleeve type and ismade of porous material through which lubricating oil can pass. Aroundit, above and below the dividing plate II, are positioned rings I8 andIQ of lubricant absorbing and retaining material such as felt orcellulose wadding. The upper ring l8 and the lower ring i9 are connectedthrough being in contact at the openings 12 in the dividing plate II,the two rings being compressed to such an extent that they are incontact at those points. 1

The lower cup J0 of the bearing is centrally formed with an aperture 20,the edge 'of which slopes upwardly to form an enclosing ring around 40the inner edge of the ring IS. The diameter of aperture 20 is greaterthan the inner diameter of bearing ll for a purpose which will beexplained. 46

As illustrated in Figure 1 the motor shaft 5 is seated within thebearing 1 and more specifically within the sleeve bearing proper ll.-Upon the shaft immediately below thebearlng and with its upper endextended into the cup I ii is 5 a collar 2| best illustrated in Figure4. Collar 2i is non-rotatably mounted upon shaft 5 and its upper end issloped outwardly, as clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 4. The upperedge of collar 2i extends above opening 20 in cup ll 55.

'peripheryof ithecollar and then be thrown outwardly into contact withthe surrounding and"inwall (if lower absorbent "Upon the rotationof themotor the shaft rolar 2|. Thebearing is, of course, lubricated withsuitable lubricating oil which is positioned between the;rfacesof thebearing and the shaft,

withia residue-and Isurplus positioned within the retaining-and carryingrings I8 and l9. In

the operation a certain amount of oilwill escape from the contactingfaces of the bearing-and the shaft and, the'shaft being vertical,will-pass downwardly'finto the enclosingcollar 2|. As the-col1aris'sealedto the shaft the oil cannot pass andwill be "moved bycentrifugal force to the her-"wall of oil-absorbing ring l9 where. itwill be absorbed; 'Theoil will then be returned ,to the upper-ring l8,being diffused through the.

apertures", I2 of plate H, as needed by that wring-lo supply'the sleevebearing l4.-

. The bearing construction is quite simple and is adapted to be'usedinaplurality of positions.

Openings 22, .2 2 are provided atclrcumferentially spaced pointsaroundthe flanges of the ,cups 9 and I whiehpermit the unit to be securedremovablyby screws 23 to the motor frame 2 or to any suitablesupport towhich it is desired to connect the bearings;

It is to be understood bodiment of v the invention is only illustrativeand that all variations thereof falling within the pur- V asview-of thefollowing claims are to be considered as falling within the scope'ofthe'invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A bearingconstruction comprising a housing, a porous sleeve bearingseated in-said housing, oil retaining means carried by said housingextending circumferentially around said bearing to feed oil directlythereto and extended beyond one end thereof, the portions of said meansaround said bearingand beyond the end thereof being interconnected inorder that oil' can pass separate unit detachable and salable as such,and

comprising a housing apertured to receive a rotating shaft, a sleevebearing positioned in said a housing with its axis extended through saidapertu're, oil-retaining means circumferentially encircling saidbearing, oil-retaining means connected to said first mentioned means andpositioned between said bearing and said aperture and adapted to enclosein spacedrelationship a shaft seated in said bearing and to receive oilthrown centrifugally therefrom.

'3. A unitary bearing construction forming a "separate unit, detachableand salable as such, and

, ceivingJap'erture,'a-sleeve' bearing positioned in said housing withits adjacent end spaced from I comprisinga housing formed with ashaft-resaid aperture, and oil-retaining-and-feeding absorbent ringsinsaid housing enclosing said bearing and extended'at oneend thereofbetween said bearing and said shaft-receiving opening, and being adaptedto enclose in spaced relationship a shaft extended throughsaid'ape'rture and seated in said bearing.

5 4. A unitary bearing construction comprising a that, the describedembearing construction therefor, a vertical shaft, bearing housingenclosing said shaft, a bearing in housing'having a; side wall andformed with a shaft-receiving opening, a plate dividing said housing, asleeve bearing seated between and sup-.

ported by said plate and the side wall of said housing opposite saidaperture, interconnected oil-retainingfand-feeding means upon oppositesidesof said plate, the means enclosing said be'aring 'upon 'one ;;sideof said plate and forming a receptacle for :all the ce ntrifugallythrown oil upon the opposite side thereof.

I '55; A bearing construction comprising a divided housing having a sidewall, a foraminous plate extended across said housing at the divisiontherein, a sleeve bearing seated between and supported by the side wallof said housing and said plate, a 111 8 -.oi':;oi1 absorbent materialenclosing saidlzbearing, a second ringof oil absorbent material upon theopposite side of said plate therefrom and interconnected thereto throughthe Openings in said plate being extended beyond the end of said bearingand being adapted to receive centrifugally ,thrownoil from a rotatingshaft seated in said bearing, the wall of said housing adjacent saidsecond ring being formed with a shaft-receiving opening.-

6. In combinationin a bearing construction andarotatable shaft mountedtherein, a housing ap'ertured to receive a shaft, a bearing in saidhousing spaced from said aperture, a shaft extended through saidaperture and rotatablyseated in said bearing, andoil-retaining-and-feeding absorbing means enclosing said heating andsaid shaft at the end of said bearing, the means at the end of saidbearing being adapted to receive a '35 directly all the oil throwncentrifugally from said shaft and to feed it to said means enclosingsaidthrow oil centrifugally.

7. In combination in a bearing construction and a rotatable shaftmounted therein, a housing apertured to receive a shaft, a bearing insaid housing spaced from said aperture, a shaft extended through saidaperture and rotatably seated in said bearing, andoil-retaining-and-feeding absorbing means enclosing said bearing andsaid shaft at the end of said bearing, circumferentially exposed meansto limit the passage of oil along said shaft to a point opposite saidmeans at the end of said bearing to permit the oil to be throwncentrifugally upon shaft rotation, the oil-retaining-and-feeding meansat the end of said bearing being adapted to receive all of the oilthrown centrifugally from said shaft and to feed it to said meansenclosing said bearing.

8. In combination in a vertical shaft and a bearing constructiontherefor, a vertical shaft, a hearing housing enclosing the upper end ofsaid shaft, a bearing in said housing rotatably seating said shaft,lubricating means enclosing said bearing and encircling said shaft belowsaid bearing, and an oil cup with radially extended sides carried bysaid shaft below said bearing and within said lubricating'means andadapted to throw oil from bearing, said shaft being provided with meansto said'bearing under centrifugal force onto said lubricating means.

9. ;In combination in a vertical shaft and a l said housing rotatablyseating said shaft, lubrieating means to feed oil directly to saidbearing,

a lubricant-receiving-and-transmitting absorbent ring in said housingand enclosing said shaft in throw lubricant from said shaft to saidring.

sleeve bearing in said housing rotatably seating,

said shaft, a lubricating ring of absorbent material encircling saidbearing in contact therewith, a second oil ring in contact with saidflrstmentioned oil ring encircling said shaft in spaced relationshipbelow said bearing, and an oil cup on said shaft within said second ringadapted to receive oil escaping downwardly on said shaft from saidbearing and provided with a peripheral escape to permit oil to be throwncentrifugally to said second ring upon the rotation of said shaft.

11. In combination in a vertical shaft and a bearing constructiontherefor, a vertical shaft, a bearing housing enclosing said shaft, aporous sleeve bearing in said housing rotatab'iy seating said'shaft, asleeve-like body of lubricating absorbent material in said housingencircling said bearing in contact therewith and extended therebelow inspaced relationship to said shaft, and an oil cup on said shaft'withinsaid body below said bearing to receive 011 escaping downwardly on saidshaft onsaid bearing and formed with a peripheral escapeto permit oil tobe thrown centrifugally to said body upon the rotation of said shaft.

